There was a time when nuts, granola bars, and other healthy nibbles had a permanent place in my purse. When mid-morning or mid-afternoon hunger pangs came on, I was ready with a variety of snacks to satisfy my hunger. Without realizing it, I had become a victim to my wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels. A victim, yes. Because as it turns out, your blood sugar levels do not need to run the show. If you, like me at the time, think you need to eat something every two hours to stay sane and satisfied: think again. It is possible to survive and thrive on 3 square meals a day. As you will see below, research studies and ancient wisdom show that it is actually better for you in the long run.
Facts and figures:
Some interesting studies have been done in the last few years that show that eating small and frequent meals might not have the benefits that many people claim they do. A 2013 study by The University of Colorado shows that increasing meals from three to six (while maintaining the same calorie count) has no significant effect on metabolic rate or fat reduction. The study shows that frequent snacking actually increases hunger and the desire to eat.
A 2013 report from Prague’s Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine found that when people with type 2 diabetes ate two large meals a day for twelve weeks, they dropped more weight than those who ate six meals plus they reduced their body mass index by 1.23 points.
A University of Oslo study shows that three meals a day, rather than six, produces greater muscle and strength gains. And muscle is a great fat burner…
An Ayurvedic Perspective:
The traditional wisdom of Ayurveda has an interesting perspective on this as well and it is linked to our digestive fire, or “Agni”. A strong digestion, as we know, lies at the root of sound health. Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis on eating and living in a way that keeps your internal digestive fire burning bright and strong. One way to do that is to give it time to finish what it started: once you have eaten a satisfying and nutritious meal your digestive fire needs ample time to break it down, absorb all the goodness and eliminate the rest. If this process is interrupted by nibbling or snacking in between meals you will end up with partly digested food in your system, which in turn leads to the build-up of toxins. 3 meals a day: a moderate breakfast, your largest meal at lunchtime (which is when our digestive fire is at its strongest) and a light dinner will help keep your Agni strong.
Additional Advantages to eating 3 meals a day:
From a weight loss perspective, if you feed yourself something every two hours or so, your body will use these continuous snacks for fuel. If you allow enough time in between meals your body will have a chance to shift into fat burning mode and use your stored fat for fuel, which may result in weight loss.
Only having to plan 3 meals a day is more likely to lead to a better-balanced menu.
Once you train your body to thrive on 3 meals a day, you will be able to go from one meal to the next without cravings. Which means you can focus all your energy on other things and you don’t have to worry about packing a purse full of snacks any more. Freedom!
How To Thrive on 3 Meals a Day:
1. Balance your meals
Every meal should be a wholesome combination of local and seasonal whole grains, protein, healthy fats and plenty of vegetables. It should be nutritious, nourishing and satisfying. It should contain foods that are appropriate for your unique body type and circumstances. Read more on nutrition basics here.
2. Keep your Stress Levels in Check
Chronic stress and the resulting continuous release of cortisol has been shown to affect our bodies negatively in many different ways, one of which is linked to insulin regulation leading to weight gain and cravings. To successfully shift to 3 meals a day it is therefore important to find ways to eliminate or deal with stressors in your life. Read more in this article: Slow Down.
3. Ditch the sugar
And by sugar I mean everything that spikes your blood sugar level: refined carbohydrates (think white bread, pasta, etc.), soda, candy, juices, etc. If you are seriously looking to take control over your cravings and hunger pangs you need to start favoring protein rich foods and high fiber whole grains and vegetables and healthy fats. Read more on the devastating effects of sugar here.
4. Sleep
Have you ever noticed how when you haven’t slept well, you tend to reach for the cookie jar or chocolates faster? Being sleep deprived can cause havoc in your body leading to stress, high cortisol, high insulin levels among other things. Getting adequate sleep, somewhere in the region of 7 to 8 hours a night, is therefore essential.
5. Retrain your hunger hormone
Our hunger is regulated by the hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin induces hunger and is secreted when you are about to eat. It follows your eating schedule so if you are used to eating small frequent meals or snacking / nibbling in between meals, you are going to have to re-adjust the ghrelin secretion schedule. Fortunately it is fast to respond to changes although you might need to deal with a little hunger for a few days while it is re-adjusting to a 3-meals-a-day schedule.
6. Eat according to the rhythms of nature
Have a light to moderate breakfast between 6 to 8 am. Eat your heaviest meal at lunchtime between 12 and 2 pm. Dinner should be light and be eaten around 6 to 7 pm.
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It is not always easy to change your habits, especially if you are dealing with some underlying health problems that have caused your body to move away from its natural equilibrium. I would not advise anyone to force changes at the risk of further compromising your health. As always, if you are dealing with severe health problems it is always better to first check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet.
Having said that, building a strong foundation for good health is something that everyone can and should take on: eating a wholesome diet that is right for you, a lifestyle that includes plenty of sleep, rest and relaxation, movement and self-care. Once you have built these into your daily routine your body will respond and rediscover its balance. It will become easier to identify what you need in order to thrive. Over time, you will be able to naturally shift into a healthy routine of eating 3 meals a day and you will recognize true hunger and learn to satisfy it appropriately.
Be well!
Monique
Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23404961
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/meal-timing/#axzz2yqKmv2id
